The Ribbon Fighters
by Firestarthecat1
Summary: Ian is fighter pilot. To people who don't know him, he's just an ordinary pilot. But to those who know and fear him, He is Mobius One, leader of the legendary Ribbon Fighter squadron. But when he receives a mysterious distress signal coming from deep-space, his whole world is torn apart. He and his squad are forced to choose between what is right, and what is inter-galactic law.
1. Prologue

As the proud captain stood on the bridge of his ship, the newly christened _Skylark,_ he looked around at his crew. They had started from a small fleet of _Aurora Class_ multi's, worked their way up the food chain, had faced numerous _Vanduul_ and space pirate attacks, and her they were on a brand new _Starfarer Class_ cargo freighter. As soon as he was done reminiscing, the advanced warning system started had incoming space pirates. Lots of them. They had to get moving or they were space trash. As he started to give the order to start moving, more warning started coming. Missiles and pirates everywhere. Before he new it, there engines were down. Turrets were going down and the hull was being breached everywhere. As they sent out an SOS, one of the pirates pulled out in front of the bridge window. As he closed his eyes and prayed to God they would go to heaven, he heard an explosion and realised he was still there. As he opened his eyes, he saw an F7C Super Hornet outside the window. The pilot and his gunner looked at him, saluted, and took of to rejoin the fight. As he stared at there ship as it pulled away, he caught a glimpse of their dorsal fin.

It had the legendary _Mobius_ ribbon insignia on it.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

After they got back to the _Anderson_ , Ian got out of his ship and headed to the mess for the debrief. Afterwards he walked straight to his bunk. On the way, he came across some of the men in his squadron, along with a rookie.

"Hey, nice shooting out there man!"

He just keeped walking past her.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!"

"Just leave him, man. You never bother the boss."

"What's his deal anyways?"

"That's a story for another time, rookie."

He just kept walking. When he got to his bunk, he laid down, closed his eyes, and went to sleep.

It was the same dream he always had. Every night, nothing had changed.

They were on a _Constellation Phoenix Class_ touring vessel. They had just gotten on the vessel for their honeymoon. They were sitting at the table eating dinner when the alarm sounded. The pirates came out of knowwhere and attacked the ship. Before he knew it the ship was on fire. And she was lying on the floor.

He sat up in a cold sweat.

" _It never changes. One peaceful night is all I want."_

He looked around and saw Lorenzo standing there, ready with a glass of water.

"See it again?"

"Yeah. It never goes away, and it never changes."

"You gotta see a therapist, man."

He snorted.

"Like that's gonna happen."

"Well, if you insist. Get some sleep, you'll need it in the morning."

"Alright."

"Semper Ibi."

"Semper Ibi."

Lorenzo walked over to his bunk.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"Yes"

After he had eaten breakfast, he went to the hanger. When he got there he went to his personal ship, which he dubbed the _Melissa_ after his former wife.

" _Till death do us part."_

As he stood there admiring his ship, he heard someone approach him. And he knew exactly who she was.

"What do you want, rookie?"

"Sir, I want to know what was with you earlier, why you just walked on past. And why you're so depressed all the time?"

He sighed.

"Nagase, that is a story that almost everyone has heard. And is rarely spoken on."

"A touchy subject, I take it?

"A _VERY_ touchy subject. That day was a day that completely changed my life. And the day I lost my best friend."

"What happened, Sir?"

He looked up at her.

"That, young rookie, is a story for another day."

Nagase looked down, as if being rejected.

"Don't worry, I'm not telling you this early for a reason."

She looked up at him, as if to question him.

"Personal?"

"Yes, very. "

He changed the subject.

"So, how did you do on that last sortie?"

"I got 5 kills, Sir."

"First mission?"

"Yes, Sir."

He chuckled.

"Pretty good, for a rookie."

"Better than you, Sir?"

"Hah, not even close. And for God's sake, stop calling me sir, will ya? Call me Ian."

"Yes Sir… I mean, Ian."

"That's better. So tell me, why'd you join up?"

"Just wanted to help people."

"Makes more sense than most reasons."

"What were those?"

"For the money, for the glory, and for the fun. But mostly for the money."

Their conversation was interupted by Lorenzo.

"Hey boss, you got a call from a _Firefly Class_ freighter. Designation Serenity."

"So Captain Malcom finaly used my favor. Be right there. Come on, rookie."

"Yes Sir!"

"Sir, don't worry, we'll take care of the problem. You have nothing to worry about."

"Thank you sir, and hurry!"

"Yes sir. End transmition."

They stood there for a second.

"Alright, men! Get ready, this one is going to be big! Maximum loadouts for everyone, we launch as sone as we excite Quantum Space! Nagase, I want you on my number two."

"Sir, are you sure?"

"Yes, now let's get moving! To the ships!"

As soon as they got out of Quantum Space, the hangar door opened and a flood of fighters poured out.

"Assemble squadrons! Mobius Squad, on me! All other squads, go to you're positions, they should be here soon!"

As they sat there in their ships, they each reviewed the plan.

Soon, a bunch of ships came out of Quantom Space. It was the pirates. The lead one spoke over open coms.

"Ah, so you hired help. I don't know who you are, but you made a big mistake accepting this job."

"You, my friend, made the mistake messing with Captain Malcom, not me."

"Give us Malcom and you may make it out of here alive."

"Not gonna happen."

"Alright then, that's how it's gonna be. Pirates, attack!"

"Ribbon Fighters, CHARGE!"

As the two opposing forces clashed, he could tell that these were no rookies, these were skilled pirates. They had to have been around for a while. But who were they?

As he took out pirates left and right, He looked everywhere for an insignia. He finally found one.

It was Harlock.

"Ribbon Fighters, pull back!"

"Why?"

"It's Harlock!"

"S**T. Everyone fall back!"

As they started to pull back, a _Starfarer_ came forward. It had a Gauss Cannon on it.

"Everyone MOVE!"

As the cannon started to charge up, Sky Eye came on the comms.

"Ribbon Fighters, 10 seconds till impact."

"Nagase, MOVE IT!"

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Impact!"

As Ian closed his eyes, he felt his ship rock as the cannon fired. When it was over, he opened his eyes.

"Ribbon fighters, Check in!

"Everyone's still here, sir."

"Where's Nagase"

"Out there, her ship's down, sir.

He sat there for a second.

"You're orders, sir."

"All squadrons, assemble. We're taking that ship down."

They assembled into one big mass of fighters.

"Ribbon fighters, punch it! Whoever take sthat ship out gets a bonus on me!"

His ship rocketed forwards as he slamed the acceleration lever forwards. Everyone headed straight for the ship

"Anderson, do you read me?"

"Loud and clear, sir."

"Put me on the intercom."

"Yes, sir."

"Everyone, man your battle stations. You're joining the battle."

"What about Nagase, sir? Pirates are heading after her."

"F**k. Mobius squadron, on me. We're going after Nagase."

As he turned his ship around, he saw them heading towards her.

"Not again. I will not lose another squad member!"

As she sat there in her disabled ship, she wondered what would happen. Would they leave her alone, or would they kill her? As she looked around, one of the pirates ships pulled in front of her. She braced for the worst and prayed to God.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

As he put the throttle down, he watched as the pirate ship sit there, and then turn around and fly away.

"Nagase, do you read me?"

There was silence over the coms.

"Nagase!"

"Y-yes sir?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, just shaken."

"They're finishing up over there, lets get you home."

"Y-yes, sir."

"Malcom!"

"Yes?"

"I need a favor."

"What?"

"I've got a stranded wingman in deep space. Can you come and pick her up?"

"On it."

"Hurry up, we need to take down that ship."

"Yes sir."

He turned his ship around and headed back into the fight.

As Nagase sat there in the dissabled ship waiting for the _Serenity_ to come and pick her up, she wondered how she had gotten caught in the blast? As soon as the order came out, she shoved the throtle down. On the other hand, it did fell awkwardly loose. Maybe something was wrong with it.

As she sat there pondering it, Captain Malcom's ship pulled up in front of her. The cargo bay doors opened and out came one of the crew with some cables to pull her in. After the cables were attachedthey pulled her ship into the cargo hold, with just enough room for the ship. When the doors had been closed and the bay pressurized, Nagase got out of the Hornet.

"Captain Malcom at your service. But please, call me Mal."

"Nice to meet you Mal. Private Kei Nagase. I go by Nagase, though."

"Well Nagase, what seems to be the trouble with your ship?"

"That's just it, I don't know. I think it may be the throotle though."

"Well then, let me introduce you to our mechanic, Kaylee."

"So this is you're ship?"

"Yes."

"Ian must really trust you to let you use one of the Supers."

"How many boogies did you bag on your first op?"

"5 sir."

"No wonder."

"Still not used to it though. I probably wouldn't have been caught in that blast if I had my ship."

"You have you're own ship?"

"Swordfish II"

"You have a Swordfish II?"

"Custom too. She's my baby."

"Wow. Love to get a look at her one day. Well, enough chit chat. Let's open her up, shall we?"

"Try the throtle first. It felt a little loose when I tried to accelerate."

"Ok"

"Let me take my helmet of and I'll help you."

"You know spacecraft?"

"Grew up around them. That's how I found my ship. I just woke up and it was sitting in front of the house. I begged my dad to let me have it."

"And it was there because?"

"My dad runs a junkuyard and someone brought it to be scrapped."

"Scrap it? Why?"

"Wanted an Origion 300 series instead. Hope the leather interior was worth it."

As they tore the ship apart, They discust all manner of ships. From the oldest classics to the newest military vessels. It was like they were twins that had been seperated at birth. Or at least that's what Mal thought.

"Well, I'm gonna wander away."

"Okay"

"Have everything under control?"

"Yeah."

"Alright then."

As he went back up the stairs, he saw Jayne and Simon leaning against the railing.

"How's it going guys?"

"Not bad. Who's the knew girl?"

"Who… oh her. She's one of Ian's people."

"Well why's she here?"

"Her ship got caught in one of the last blasts from the cannon."

"But isn't that a super?"

"Yeah, that's just the thing that I can't figure out. Something had to be _seriously_ wrong with it in order to not be able to escape that blast."

"Wait, who's Ian?"

"Oh I'm sorry Simon, you've never met him. He's an old friend from a while back. He heads a mercenary group. The Ribbon Fighters to be exact."

"Oh I've heard about them. Don't they axcept any distress call and wait until you can pay?"

"Yes, and he also owed me a favor, which is why they're here."

"Alright then, but exactly _who_ is she?"

"Acording to her she's Private Kei Nagase if I'm correct."

"Hmm…"

"Welp, I'm gonna go see what's happening at the bridge."

"Ok"

As Mal was beginning to leave, they heard a thump

"Nagase? NAGASE!

"She's smoking heavily boss!"

"Keep hitting her with everthing you've got! Don't give her a chance to warp!"

"There's explosions all over boss! She's breaking!"

"Pull out boys, you don't want to get caught up in that blast."

As the flew away, explosions became more comone on the outside of the pirate vessel. After a couple seconds, escape pods flew from the ship and after that, the whole thing blew up. Cheers went over the coms and the pirates started fleeing. A raspy voice came over the com.

"This isn't over yet Ian."

"I know Harlock. Go lick your wounds while you can."

As the pirate fleet fled, they all cheered. They had won a major battle against the pirates. They might even get an award and whatever bounty was on there heads.

"Alright everyone, lets get back to the _Anderson_ , drinks are on me!"

"Ian."

"Yes Mal?"

"You might want to get over here quick, something's wrong with Nagase."


End file.
